Amid the dust and debris, five figures flew out.
At the same time, a signal flare shot into the sky, bursting into fireworks.
Tsunade frowned slightly at the sight.
Are they calling for reinforcements?
No matter who it was, this needed to be settled quickly.
In an instant, Tsunade vanished from her spot.
"Everyone, stay alert!" the Kumogakure Jonin shouted.
Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!
Hanekawa and Kurenai Yūhi simultaneously formed seals. Two water dragons roared forward, one after the other.
Earth Style: Earth Wall Jutsu!
The Kumogakure Jonin reacted quickly, summoning an earthen wall to block the attack.
But in the next moment, the wall shattered into pieces.
It was Tsunade.
With one punch, she demolished the earth wall and charged at the Kumogakure ninjas, following closely behind the water dragons.
Lightning Style: Scattering Thunder Jutsu!
The Kumogakure Jonin leaped into the air, conjuring two orbs of lightning in his hands. Bolts of electricity shot out indiscriminately, striking the water dragons first. The lightning spread rapidly toward Tsunade.
Superhuman Strength!
Tsunade jumped into the air, shattered the lightning with a punch, and struck the Kumogakure Jonin directly.
He trembled violently before being sent flying backward, coughing up blood mid-air.
Hanekawa wasn't idle either.
After using the Water Dragon Jutsu, he drew his Lightning-Fire Sword and used the Body Flicker Technique to close in on the remaining four Kumogakure ninjas.
Konoha-Style: Willow!
The nearest Kumogakure ninja was preparing to form seals when he realized, to his horror, that his body couldn't move.
A flash of light followed.
Hanekawa's Thunder Fire Sword effortlessly slashed his throat.
Dance of the Crescent Moon!
Without pause, Hanekawa created two shadow clones amid the smoke.
The three figures, each wielding a Thunder Fire Sword, charged at the remaining three Kumogakure ninjas.
Two of them were killed instantly, leaving only a middle-aged ninja.
The survivor reacted quickly, raising a kunai to block Hanekawa's strike.
Clang!
His expression changed as the force of the blow pushed him backward.
In that brief moment of distraction, the two shadow clones attacked, their swords striking his sides.
Hanekawa followed up with another strike, rendering him unconscious as if he had fallen into a deep sleep.
"Well done," Tsunade nodded slightly.
With Hanekawa's current strength, dealing with ordinary Genin and Chūnin was as easy as cutting through butter. Only Jonin posed a real challenge, and Jonin were rare in the five great villages.
Outside of war, encounters with them were uncommon.
---
"Lady Tsunade!"
Six surviving ninja from the outpost hurried forward to greet her.
"No need for explanations. Get inside the outpost," Tsunade ordered with a wave of her hand. "The Kumogakure Jonin fired a signal flare earlier. I expect reinforcements will arrive soon."
"Yes, ma'am!"
The group, including Rin Nohara, quickly retreated into the outpost.
Tsunade glanced at Hanekawa and Kurenai, preparing to speak when her expression suddenly changed. She looked into the distance.
The sound of the wind being sliced filled the air.
Five figures appeared before them.
Leading the group was the muscular Fourth Raikage, A.
Alongside him were Killer Bee, Samui, and two other Kumogakure ninjas.
Hanekawa instinctively looked at Samui, who gave him a subtle wink, her cold expression unchanging.
What does that mean?
"Kurenai, fire a signal flare to notify Minato," Tsunade said calmly.
"Yes, ma'am."
Kurenai quickly took out a signal flare and launched it into the sky.
Kumogakure's "AB Combo," A and Killer Bee, were notorious for their teamwork and overwhelming strength.
In the Konoha camp, encountering them usually meant death for anyone other than Namikaze Minato or Tsunade.
Even in death, it was critical to alert others, which was why all Konoha ninja were equipped with signal flares to fire upon encountering the duo.
Tsunade wasn't afraid of the AB Combo, but she was mindful of the other Konoha ninjas and didn't want the situation to escalate unnecessarily.
For safety, it was best to call for Minato's support.
"What's the meaning of this, Kumogakure?" Tsunade asked in a steady tone.
"That's my question to you!" A's face darkened. "How do you explain Konoha's attack on Kumogakure in the Land of Rain?"
Konoha's interference had prevented Sunagakure from being taken down as planned.
Now that Sunagakure was on high alert, another decapitation attempt was impossible.
To make matters worse, the Third Raikage had been injured, and a thousand elite Kumogakure ninjas had been wiped out, resulting in devastating losses for Kumogakure.
"There's nothing to explain," Tsunade said, raising an eyebrow.
"Indeed," A snorted coldly as chakra surged from his body, forming a lightning cloak around him.
A powerful sense of oppression radiated outward, sweeping across the area.
Tsunade's expression grew serious.
This was the Lightning Release Chakra Mode, a technique practiced by the Raikage across generations.
In this state, the user's body and cells are activated, greatly enhancing their power.
Fortunately, they were facing A and not the Third Raikage.
Compared to his father, A's strength was still lacking.
A stepped forward, his body vanishing in an instant.
Heavy Flow Strike!
Like a blur, he reappeared in front of Tsunade, brilliant lightning gathering on his elbow as he struck out.
"Everyone, spread out!" Tsunade shouted, even in the midst of danger. She clenched her fist, chakra enveloping it, and swung with force.
Fist met elbow.
A deafening sound rang out, followed by shockwaves exploding outward in every direction.
Hanekawa grabbed Kurenai and quickly retreated.
Crack!
The ground fractured beneath them.
A's expression shifted as he involuntarily took several steps back, unable to maintain his footing.
"Big Brother… lost in a clash of strength?" Killer Bee exclaimed, visibly stunned.
In his mind, A in his Lightning Release Chakra Mode was unbeatable—both in strength and speed.
"As expected of Princess Tsunade!" A laughed loudly. "Let's go again!"
Obliteration Lightning Axe!
Lightning surged around A, concentrating in his legs.
In a flash of light, he charged forward again, moving so fast it was impossible to track with the naked eye.
But Tsunade was ready.
Heavenly Foot of Pain!
Their legs collided, unleashing another wave of destructive energy.
The ground beneath them caved, forming a deep crater at the point of impact.
Chakra Scalpel!
A pale green chakra emanated from Tsunade's hand, quickly forming into a sharp surgical blade.
She aimed for A's neck, slicing without hesitation.
"Big Brother!" Killer Bee shouted instinctively.
Sensing the danger, A's pupils shrank as lightning surged to his right hand.
Lightning Severing Wave!
He raised his hand, forming a blade of pure lightning to block the chakra scalpel.
A frowned as he retreated. Despite the lightning's protection, a faint bloodline appeared on his right hand.
"Big Brother… got injured?" Killer Bee's eyes widened in disbelief.
Samui and the others were equally shocked.
Hanekawa raised an eyebrow.
It seems A hasn't reached his peak yet. But more importantly, Tsunade's strength is truly formidable.
"Tsunade is mine. The rest of you, handle the others," A said solemnly.
"That won't happen."
A calm voice broke in as Namikaze Minato appeared in front of Tsunade.
"You're quick, but you're alone," A sneered.
"Bee!"
"Yes, Big Brother!"
Killer Bee stepped forward, his body enveloped in red chakra that formed a cloak around him.
This was the Tailed Beast Cloak, a simple yet effective way for Jinchūriki to utilize their tailed beast's chakra. It significantly boosted their abilities.
A chaotic four-way battle ensued.
Hanekawa wanted to assist but found himself unable to when a short blade, crackling with lightning, came slashing toward him.
Body Flicker Technique!
He narrowly dodged the blade.
Turning around, he saw that the attacker was Samui, her expression cold.
At the same time, Kurenai and the six remaining outpost ninjas found themselves struggling against two Kumogakure Jonin. Despite their numbers, they were clearly at a disadvantage.
Fortunately, Minato managed to spare moments to support them, keeping the situation under control for now.
Cloud-Style: Rising Dragon!
Samui lunged forward, her elbow aiming for Hanekawa.
Bang!
Hanekawa caught her wrist mid-strike, stepping forward so their bodies were almost touching.
A faint fragrance surrounded him.
"What's going on here?" Hanekawa asked in a low voice.
Samui instinctively tried to pull away, but his grip was too strong. She was momentarily stunned—after all these years, the gap between their strength had only grown wider.
"You're coming back to Kumogakure with me," Samui said, raising her leg to kick him.
"Why?"
Hanekawa reacted quickly, locking her leg between his.
"Let go of me!"
The awkward position caused Samui's face to flush slightly.
"Alright."
Hanekawa stepped back.
"The Raikage has been poisoned," Samui said, closing the distance again. Lightning crackled from her short blade as she struck once more.
"I see."
Hanekawa drew his Thunder-Fire Sword, blocking her attack.
So the Raikage's poison came from Chiyo of Sunagakure, Hanekawa thought, his brow furrowing.
It wasn't surprising. In the original story, even Chiyo herself and all the Sunagakure medics were helpless against the poison created by Sasori of the Red Sand.
It was only thanks to Sakura Haruno's timely intervention that Kankurō was saved.
The situation in Kumogakure was similar to that in Sunagakure—they lacked top-tier medical-nin.
If the poison was indeed Chiyo's, it would be nearly impossible to resolve it in a short time.
Throughout the ninja world, the only medical-nin superior to Chiyo was Tsunade.
Most importantly, during the Second Shinobi World War, Tsunade had successfully countered Chiyo's poisons.
However, with Konoha and Kumogakure currently at war, there was no way Tsunade would treat the Third Raikage.
That left only one hope—her student, Hanekawa.
Over the past month, Hanekawa had demonstrated exceptional medical-ninjutsu skills and remarkable proficiency in creating and countering poisons.
However, since Hanekawa had been stationed at the Konoha camp these past few days and time was critical, A and his team came up with a plan to lure him out.
By attacking five outposts simultaneously, they forced Tsunade and Minato to respond, hoping to take Hanekawa amidst the chaos.
"I'm not going with you," Hanekawa said, shaking his head.
"Why not?" Samui frowned. "Have you betrayed Kumogakure?"
"If I leave, all the progress I've made here will be wasted."
Hanekawa sidestepped her kick with a quick motion.
"What do you propose then?"
Samui didn't slow down, her short blade swinging to form a lightning-infused edge.
"My real body can't leave, but a shadow clone can," Hanekawa replied, gripping his Thunder-Fire Sword. With chakra surging through it, the blade glowed brilliantly as he casually sliced through her lightning edge.
Samui's expression hardened.
How strong has he become? she wondered.
Even in this brief exchange, she felt immense pressure.
"A shadow clone?" Samui pressed forward, her voice sharp. "Are you sure it will work?"
"Don't worry." Hanekawa smiled faintly. "I'm confident in my abilities with poisons."
If Sakura Haruno could counter Sasori's poison after only three years of training, Hanekawa thought, he had no excuse. If he couldn't deal with Chiyo's poison after so many years, he might as well hit his head against Tsunade's fist and end it there.
As their fists clashed, Samui was forced back half a step.
She glanced at A and Killer Bee, who were locked in a fierce battle. If Hanekawa refused to cooperate, it seemed unlikely they could take him by force.
"Fine," Samui said after a moment's hesitation.
"If I save the Raikage, can I make a request?" Hanekawa asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.
His plan was to use this opportunity to obtain the method for training in the Lightning Release Chakra Mode. If the Third Raikage refused, Hanekawa wouldn't hesitate to "sweeten the deal."
In terms of poison, he wasn't any less capable than Chiyo.
"Of course," Samui replied, nodding. "The Raikage has always been fair in rewards and punishments."
"When are you leaving?" Hanekawa asked, stepping forward as their weapons clashed again.
"We'll leave after Konoha's reinforcements arrive," Samui answered. "Where's your shadow clone?"
"It would be too obvious to act now," Hanekawa said softly. "I'll find a chance tonight to send the clone to meet you."
"Understood." Samui nodded but hesitated before asking, "You… you won't go back on your word, will you?"
"Of course not," Hanekawa replied with a smile.
Samui gazed at him, momentarily lost in thought.
Just then, the sound of rushing wind reached her ears, and she quickly retreated.
"This ends here for today. We'll fight another day!" A called out, glancing at Samui.
"Bee!"
"Yes, Big Brother!"
Killer Bee's red chakra surged, and eight massive tails emerged from his body, lashing out toward Tsunade and the others.
"Get back!" Minato shouted, rushing to assist Kurenai and the others.
Superhuman Strength!
Tsunade punched one of the tails head-on.
Water Release: Water Formation Wall!
Hanekawa clapped his hands together, summoning a water barrier in front of him.
Though the tail easily shattered the barrier, it bought enough time for him to retreat.
Body Flicker Technique!
Hanekawa quickly moved back, and the tails, instead of pursuing, withdrew.
Using this opening, the Kumogakure group retreated completely.
"They have a Jinchūriki. There's no need to chase them; it could provoke the tailed beast into going berserk," Tsunade said, shaking her head.
"Minato, have they sent reinforcements?"
"No," Minato replied. "I scouted the area and found no signs of additional forces."
"How strange," Tsunade murmured. "Then what was their objective today?"
__
New entry: This Danzo Is Weird
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